We have been amazed as we have watched this mission to the rural villages grow from a seed God put in our hearts into a blossoming tree, so without doubt, I know, He and He alone deserves all the praise. He provided the seed, and He made it grow. He alone brings it to fruition, because He is Lord of the Harvest. The work of the Gospel is about seeds and harvests. I am grateful I heard His call to go to the poor to meet needs, and preach the Gospel. Our desire is to train others to take this same vision as their own and use compassion ministries as a tool for the spread of the Gospel.
I believe the poor must be some of God’s favorite people, because He made so many of them, and He calls and equips His church to go and serve them in His name. Our work is not “social justice”. It is not pity that looks down on the poor, feels sorry for them, then leaves them in a perpetual state of dependency.
There are needs everywhere, but it has been a great honor for God’s compassion to work through us to lift the burdens of the poorest, those who have no means of lifting themselves out of deep poverty. This is God’s justice for the poor. Micah 6:8 “ He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
One of our teachers always prays, “Lord, give us humble hearts to serve you when we go to the villages.” That prayer perfectly aligns with God’s heart for the poor and the heart of our ministry as well.
I instruct our teachers to never tower above children or talk down to them, or talk “at” children, but to sit down among the little ones. I tell them, to start the day by greeting the children and letting the children see a welcoming smile.
I instruct our teachers to show they care by being open and listening to children. In this way teachers build trust, because we can not teach children without making connections with them. I tell them, more than a disseminator of knowledge, the teachers must be models of Christian character by showing love and humility in their work with children. When children know their teacher cares, they win their hearts, and children are happy to learn from a teacher who cares.
This must be our approach to all our other village work as well. We must go to the villages with a heart of humility, grateful for the privilege of serving the poor in His name. We must sit among them and listen. If we listen, the parents will tell us their children have nearly drowned trying to cross the rain-swollen river during rainy season. We will learn that missed days of school puts their children behind in school and makes them want to drop out. We will learn that no one in their village has ever graduated from high school. The teenage girls will tell us they want to complete their education, but because of poverty, their parents are forcing them into marriages to men they don’t even know.
Listening opens opportunity to serve.
Serving opens opportunity to share the GOSPEL.
Many times God has allowed us to see the big picture and connect the dots and work toward solving large scale whole community needs when we have taken the time to listen to the Chiefs talk about their concerns for their villages. Who knew a bridge could help keep children in school? We had neither the insight nor the money when God made it clear that He wanted us to build a bridge. Once that first bridge was completed, God helped us see how bridges open up access to education, agriculture, and trade. Since then, we have built six bridges and have the materials to build bridge number seven. God has provided the insight and the finances to do what He had in His heart for the poor. Listening and caring is so important.
As a result of the bridges, schools, and other community development, we now have tremendous favor with al the chiefs. And, the greatest blessing to us is this, these village are open to the Gospel, and their children are receiving a tuition-free Christian education. This gives us great favor with the parents, because they know we care. We have favor with the primary schools. Their head teacher recently asked us to offer training to their new teachers.
God wants each believer to make themselves available for God to use however He chooses. It doesn’t mean solving everyone’s problems, but it does mean letting God help us see the weakest and the lowest through His eyes. God is calling us to go. It may be to the workplace, the schoolhouse, the public space, and any place you may have influence. It may be to the powerful uptown businessman in the three-piece suit or the four year old little girl in rags far out in the village. Listen, be kind, be ready to say a good word for Jesus, and He will open opportunities.
Matthew 9:37-38 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
